Container with attached lid

ABSTRACT

A container includes a base and a pair of opposed side walls extending upward from the base. The pair of opposed side walls include a first side wall and a second side wall. The first side wall includes a lip at an upper portion thereof. A first lid is pivotably connected to the first side wall. The first lid can be selectively snap-fit connected to the lip of the first side wall to retain the first lid in an open position.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 61/483,414 filed May 6, 2011.

BACKGROUND

Attached lid containers include a base with side walls and end wallsprojecting upward. A pair of lids are hingeably connected to upper edgesof the side walls. The lids have leaves that interlock with one anotherto close the opening to the container.

For some applications, it is necessary to wash the containers in anautomated washing system. The containers are washed with the lids open.The containers may be washed and/or dried in an inverted orientation,with the lids extended outward from the walls of the container, wherewater or other cleaning fluids may pool on the lids.

SUMMARY

A container includes a base and a pair of opposed side walls extendingupward from the base. The pair of opposed side walls include a firstside wall and a second side wall. The first side wall includes a lip atan upper portion thereof.

A first lid is pivotably connected to the first side wall. The first lidcan be selectively snap-fit connected to the lip of the first side wallto retain the first lid in an open position.

In one example embodiment, the lid includes an upward projection thatincludes an interlocking feature that can be selectively snap-fit behindthe lip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to one embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of one corner of the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the corner of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the corner of FIG. 1 with the lidmoved to an open position.

FIG. 5 shows the corner of FIG. 5 with the lid moved to a secured, openposition.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the corner of the container of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A storage container 10 according to one embodiment of the presentinvention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-6. Referring to FIG. 1, the storagecontainer 10 includes a base 12 and a pair of opposed side walls 14 anda pair of opposed end walls 16 extending upwardly from the periphery ofthe base 12. The walls 14, 16 are tapered down to the base 12, such thatidentical containers 10 can be nested within one another.

Lids 18 are hingeably connected to upper edges of the side walls 14. Aflange or lip 22 protrudes outward and then downward from the upper edgeof the side walls 14 and the end walls 16. Over the side walls 14, thelip 22 includes a plurality of hinge receivers 24 formed therein. Thehinge receivers 24 hingeably retain hinge members 26 formed integrallywith the lids 18.

The inner edge of each lid 18 includes a plurality of interlocking lowerleaves (not visible) and upper leaves 30. The lids 18 can be pivotedaway from one another to provide access to the storage container 10.Each end wall 16 includes a handle 38. The hinge receivers 24 and hingemembers 26 project upward relative to the major surfaces of the lids 18.End projections 32 also project upward relative to the major surfaces ofthe lids 18. The end projections 32 are aligned over the end walls 16.This provides for stable stacking of identical containers 10, as thebase 12 of the container 10 fits between the hinge receivers 24, hingemembers 26 and end projections 32 around the upper periphery of thecontainer 10. What has been described so far is typical for anattached-lid container of this type.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view and FIG. 3 is a top view of one corner of oneof the lids 18. The other corners may be the same. An interlockingfeature 40 projects laterally from the end projection 32. Theinterlocking feature 40 may be generally cylindrical with a somewhatrounded end, as shown. An opening 42 through the lid 18 may be useful inmolding the interlocking feature 40, so that it can be cored from theother side of the lid 18.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the lid 18 is pivoted open to the downward,open position, the lid 18 eventually contacts the lip 22 of thecontainer 10. In particular, the interlocking feature 40 contacts thebottom edge of the lip 22. With additional force on the lid 18, theinterlocking feature 40 can be snapped past the lip 22, as shown in FIG.5.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the lip 22 and lid 18 of FIG. 5. As can beseen in FIG. 6, the interlocking feature 40 is interlocked behind thelip 22 of the container 10. The lid 18 is retained in a position roughlyparallel to the side wall 14, away from its closed position over theopening to the container, with the upper surface of the lid 18 facingthe outer surface of the side wall 14. In this position, the container10 can be inverted for washing and the lids 18 will stay in thedownward, open position adjacent the side walls 14. After washing, thelids 18 can be closed again by moving the lids 18 until the interlockingfeatures 40 are snapped outward past the lip 22.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes andjurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are consideredto represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it shouldbe noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than asspecifically illustrated and described without departing from its spiritor scope.

1. A container comprising: a base; a pair of opposed side wallsextending upward from the base, the pair of opposed side walls includinga first side wall and a second side wall, the first side wall includinga lip at an upper portion thereof; a pair of opposed end walls extendingupward from the base; and a first lid pivotably connected to the firstside wall, wherein the first lid can be selectively snap-fit connectedto the lip of the first side wall to retain the first lid in an openposition.
 2. The container of claim 1 wherein the first lid includes aninterlocking feature that selectively snap-fits behind the lip of thefirst side wall.
 3. The container of claim 2 wherein the lip protrudesoutward and then downward from an upper edge of the first side wall. 4.The container of claim 1 wherein the first lid includes a projectionupward from an upper surface of the first lid, the projection capably ofbeing selectively snap-fit connected to the lip of the first side wall.5. The container of claim 1 further including a second lid pivotablyconnected to the second side wall, wherein the second lid can beselectively snap-fit connected to a lip of the second side wall toretain the second lid in an open position.
 6. The container of claim 1wherein the first lid is pivotably connected to the first side wall by ahinge projecting upward relative to an upper surface of the first lid.7. A container comprising: a base; a pair of opposed side wallsextending upward from the base, the pair of opposed side walls includinga first side wall and a second side wall, the first side wall and thesecond side wall including a lip at an upper portion thereof; a pair ofopposed end walls extending upward from the base; and a first lidpivotably connected to an upper edge of the first side wall and a secondlid pivotably connected to an upper edge of the second side wall, thefirst lid and the second lid each including a projection upward from anupper surface thereof, each projection including interlocking featurethat selectively snap-fits behind the lip of the first side wall.
 8. Thecontainer of claim 7 wherein the first lid is pivotably connected to thefirst side wall by a hinge projecting upward relative to an uppersurface of the first lid.
 9. The container of claim 7 wherein the firstlid includes a plurality of leaves interlocking with a plurality ofleaves on the second lid when the first lid and the second lid are in aclosed position over an opening to the container.
 10. The container ofclaim 7 wherein the lip protrudes outward and then downward from theupper portion.
 11. The container of claim 7 wherein the side walls andthe end walls are tapered down to the base, such that an identicalcontainer could be nested therein.